Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02278797 1999-07-26
-2-
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a shaving razor, and more particularly to a
disposable
razor containing a shaving lubricant with a hand-activated feed mechanism.
BACKGROUND
Disposable razors containing a shaving lubricant are generally known in the
art.
These fall into several categories, namely: razors having a pressurized
canister (see
Cohen, U.S. 5,337,478, Dallaine, U.S. 5,269,062, and Zeles U.S. 3,349,484, for
example); manually-operated pusher mechanisms (see Perez, U.S. 3,703,765 and
Kwak,
U.S. 4,653,168, for example); razors having a lubricant contained within the
razor head
(see Narijan, U.S. 5,072,512) and razors having flexible sac members to
pneumatically
propel the lubricant (see Schauble, U.S. 48,809,432 and Olson U.S. 2,747,273).
The various mechanisms disclosed in the above-identified patents have their
respective advantages and disadvantages. Pressurized containers tend to eject
too much
foam, at first, and too little later in their use, thus lacking a positive
manual control.
Razors containing lubricant in the razor head, rather than the handle, must
have a bulky
head in order to contain an adequate supply of lubricant. This may cause the
razor to
lack the typical balance of a conventional disposable, safety razor.
Razors with flexible membranes within the handle tend to provide a more
controllable positive displacement of shaving lubricant than pressurized
containers
when manually pressed but may be less controllable when pneumatically
actuated.
Also, the membrane may become wrinkled or otherwise be difficult to press and
cause a
malfunction of the device.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
The instant invention relates to a disposable safety razor containing a beard-
lubricating fluid within the handle and manual actuator means for forcing said
fluid to
the razor head upon demand. The razor has a hollow handle with an interior
elongated
cavity having a cross-sectional area of substantially uniform dimension and
shape over
the length of said cavity. A piston, also denominated herein as a "pusher
plate" is
caused to moved from the lower extremity of the cavity towards the upper
portion of
said cavity in response to manual actuation of the actuator means and thus
force the
lubricating fluid upward through the cavity and into a hollow neck connected
to the
CA 02278797 1999-07-26
-3-
razor head which has one or more pores through which the lubricating fluid may
flow to
pass beneath or above a single blade or alternatively, between parallel-
placed, dual
blades. The razor may be equipped with one or more manual actuators over the
length
of the cavity. The cavity preferably has a non-circular shape so that a pusher
plate of
the same shape as the cross-section will advance upward in the cavity without
rotating
or turning.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an elevational external view of the disposable safety razor of the
instant invention in which ejectable shaving lubricant is contained in its
handle;
FIG. 2 is a sectional, elevational view of the razor of FIG. 1 along section
lines
2-2;
FIG. 3 is a sectional, elevational view of the razor of FIG. 1 along section
lines
3-3;
FIG. 4 is a sectional, elevational view of the razor of FIG. 1 along section
lines
4-4;
FIG. S is a sectional, elevational view of a razor of the type illustrated in
FIG. 1
with an additional or alternative lubricant feed mechanism actuated by rollers
in the
razor head;
FIG. 6A and 6B is a razor of the general type illustrated in FIG. 1
illustrated in a
sectional, elevational view with a single thumb knob at the back of the razor
handle
wherein lubricant feed mechanism includes windlass; and
FIG. 7A and 7B is a razor of the general type illustrated in FIG. 1 wherein
the
lubricant feed mechanism includes a feed auger.
BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION
The instant invention is illustrated in the attached figures which set forth
various
preferred embodiments of the structure of the complete disposable safety razor
containing a lubricating fluid, e.g. gel, foam or the like.
The razor of the instant invention is illustrated in FIG. 1. It generally has
the
general appearance of a safety razor. The indicators of a differently
functioning razor
CA 02278797 1999-07-26
-4-
are the thumb dials (knobs) adjacent the razor neck, near the top of the
handle
portion 11 and the thumb knob at the base of the handle.
The pusher plate 13 has a central aperture (see FIG. 2) which interacts with a
threaded rod (feed screw) 14 which runs the length of handle cavity 12. The
pusher
plate (piston) 13 is advanced along the feed screw 14 by turning rotatable
thumb knob
fixed to the base of the feed screw. The top of the feed screw rests in a
vertically-
oriented journal 16, which is an elongated bore sized to receive the
unthreaded upper
end of the feed screw. The feed screw is a stiff (rigid) slender member.
The thumb knob preferably has sealing means which permits the knob to be
10 rotated with reference to the razor handle's fixed base insert 17 without
the loss of
lubricating fluid around the junction of the knob and handle. The handle base
has an
opening (base hole) in it through which an axle attached to the thumb knob
passes. The
axle diameter may be close to the diameter of the base opening so that very
little, if any,
lubricant, e.g., a gel, leaks from the base, especially since the piston is
above the handle
15 base. The lubricating fluid, e.g. a gel, is generally sufficiently viscous
that it can be
readily retained in the handle cavity with simple sealing means. The handle
cavity 12
containing the lubricating fluid communicates with an open throat 18 in the
neck 19 of
the razor through which the fluid readily moves when under an upward pressure
(force)
to flow, ultimately, through a pore or pores in the razor head.
A supplemental, or alternative, means for turning the feed screw 14 and
advancing the piston and lubricating fluid is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3.
This
alternative means employs a worm gear 20 positioned transverse to and engaging
the
feed screw. Each end of the worm gear is smooth and projects through the
handle
sidewalk at or near the upper end of the fluid cavity. Thumb dials (knobs) 21
and 22
are attached securely to each end of the worm gear. The position of these
thumb knobs
(one or, preferably, two knobs may be used) near or at the upper portion of
the razor
handle to permit easy turning of such thumb knobs while the razor is gripped
in one's
hand with one's thumb being juxtaposed to one or the other knob. Having a pair
of
knobs at such upper handle position makes the razor easily used by either a
right-
handed or left-handed person. However, a single thumb dial (knob) is effective
when
placed on the front or back of the handle with the worm gear then oriented
transverse to
CA 02278797 1999-07-26
the front and back of the handle. (See FIG. 6.) Thus, such a single knob may
be easily
turned by either a left- or right-handed person using the razor.
Another way of using a single rotatable knob is to extend said feed screw
upper
shaft above said journal and secure a thumb knob to its end. Such a top-
mounted knob
37 (see FIG. 3) may also be easily used by either a right- or left-handed
person. Such a
top-mounted knob may be used in conjunction with or in place of other actuator
knobs.
The smooth spindle ends of the worm gear may fit relatively snugly in the
opposed ports in the opposed handle sidewalk to preclude fluid leakage.
Generally, the
smooth spindle ends have a diameter which is slightly greater than the maximum
thread
diameter of the worm gear so that the worm gear may be easily inserted through
one or
the other sidewall ports during assembly of the unique razor of the instant
invention.
The dual knob means for advancing the piston via turning of the feed screw may
be used with or instead of the bottom thumb knob. If the bottom thumb knob is
omitted, a simple cap or blank insert is used to close the lower end of the
razor handle.
The lubricant cavity in the razor handle communicates with the razor head 2
through an open hollow throat in the neck of the razor.
The complete razor may be constructed as one piece or of several independent
elements. The handle element, for example, is preferably formed as one piece.
The
handle element, in one embodiment, is a tubular member having a non-round
internal
cross-sectional shape which is uniform over the entire internal length of the
handle over
which a piston member would travel. The handle is open at its upper end and
may be
open or closed at its bottom end. If the bottom is closed, a small bore hole
(internal) is
required to receive the bottom end of the feed screw.
The neck of the razor may also be a separate structure. The lower end of the
neck attaches to the upper end of the handle. The neck, as well as the handle,
may be
made of two mirror-like structures which press together to form the complete
element.
The neck has a hollow throat. The neck preferably has a journal bore to
receive the
upper end of the feed screw.
The juncture between the neck and handle may be the location of the transverse
worm gear. The worm gear may be placed in position when the neck and handle
are
joined together.
CA 02278797 1999-07-26
-6-
The handle cavity may be filled with lubricant before or after the neck and
handle are joined. The feed screw and piston are preferably in place with the
piston
located at the bottom of the cavity at the time the lubricant is placed in the
cavity.
The lubricant may be placed on the handle cavity by injection through pores in
the razor head by a needle-like injector. A viscous lubricant, e.g., gel, can
be made
more fluid by heating the gel to a temperature significantly greater than room
temperature.
The razor blade embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5 has a roller mechanism
included in the razor head. The roller mechanism includes an outer roller 21
with
transverse vanes 21 a running the length of the roller which is positioned
forward of the
razor blades so that the vaned roller 21 contacts the skin of a razor when the
razor
head 2 is in a shaving position adjacent the skin. As the razor head is drawn
across and
in contact with the skin, the vaned roller 21 rotates, which causes its gears
(sprockets)
23 at each end to rotate and engage the gears 24 on the worm gear shaft 25
which
causes the worm gear 26 in the razor head to rotate.
The worm gear shaft 25 and the roller mechanism 21 are in a permanently
spaced, parallel relationship, with the ends of each shaft held within the
razor head in a
manner to permit rotation of each shaft.
Rotation of the worm gear 26, which engages a sprocket 27 in the upper feed
screw shaft 28, causes said upper feed screw shaft 28 to rotate via the
sprocket of the
upper, angled feed screw shaft 28. The upper feed screw shaft 28 is separate
from the
lower feed screw shaft but is joined to it by a coil spring 29. The coil
spring 29 is
structured to bend so that it accommodates the angular connection between the
upper
feed screw shaft 28, located in the razor throat and the lower feed screw
shaft which is
axially aligned with the vertical axis of the razor handle. The spring thus
forms an arc
with the spring being slightly compressed at the inside of said arc and being
slightly
expanded at the outside of the arc. Thus, structured, the spring allows the
rotation of
the upper feed screw shaft to rotate the lower feed screw shaft without any
substantial
lateral displacement or binding of either shaft.
The top end of the upper feed screw shaft 28 is contained within a journal
(not
illustrated) so that the sprocket 27 and worm gear 26 maintain good contact
with one
another. The lower end of said shaft 28 is the free end which engages the coil
spring.
CA 02278797 1999-07-26
_7_
The feed mechanism of FIG. 5 may be used in conjunction with, or instead of,
the thumb dial-actuated feed mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4.
The razor illustration of FIG. 6A and 6B illustrated a feed mechanism in which
the thumb dial (knob) 37 is positioned directly behind the handle. This
embodiment
permits easy actuation, i.e., turning of the thumb dial by either hand, thus
accommodating use by a left- or right-handed person with equal ease.
The feed mechanism illustrated in FIG. 6A and 6B has a transversely (fore-aft)
positioned windlass 30 located within the upper part of the razor's hollow
handle. A
flexible cord 31 is fixed to the windlass at one end and to a piston 32 at its
other (lower)
end. Rotation of the windlass by an external thumb knob winds the cord about
the
windlass, pulling the piston upwards in the handle's internal chamber thereby
causing
lubricant to be displaced upward in the hollow handle to pass through the
razor throat
and to discharge through the opening in the razor head to be available to
lubricate the
razor blades 6 and skin during use of the razor. The piston 32 of FIG. 6 has a
I 5 depending skirt 33. The skirt 33 depends from the whole periphery of
piston 32,
although the skirt, to perform its function need not be continuous. The
nurnose ~f the
skirt to maintain proper alignment of the piston in the handle cavity; i.e.,
prevent
canting of the piston, which could cause it to jam and cause the razor to be
ineffective
insofar as feeding lubricant is concerned. A skirted piston could be
advantageously
used with respect to any of the razor embodiments illustrated and described
herein.
The embodiment of FIG. 7 includes a feed mechanism which is a feed auger 34
disposed in the handle cavity. The auger 34, upon rotation in the proper
direction by a
bottom-mounted thumb knob 35 feeds lubricant from the handle cavity through
the
razor throat to the razor head. The worm gear drive mechanisms of FIG. 1 or
FIG. S
can be used effectively with a feed auger.
The razor of the instant invention is advantageous inasmuch as the feed
mechanism provides a positive displacement of lubricant in a controllable
manner. It
further efficiently utilizes a handle-contained lubricant reservoir so that
only a small
amount of lubricant (that contained in the razor throat) is not expelled from
the razor.
The razor described and illustrated herein is further simple to assemble and
simple to load with a lubricant, such as a gel. The handle, neck and razor
head may be
made of plastic in a single injection. The razor throat is open, i.e., a
discharge port
CA 02278797 1999-07-26
_g_
exists in the head, so that the razor may be assembled with its internal feed
screw,
bottom handle closure and pusher plate (piston) and then have gel or other
lubricant
injected through the throat in the handle reservoir.
A safety cap 36 (see FIGS. 1, 5 or 7) protects the razor blades and may
further
tend to seal the razor head so that minimal evaporation of any volatile
component of the
gel (lubricant) occurs.
Typically, disposable razors of this type would be sold in bubble-formed
packages which are typically air tight. Thus, substantially no evaporation of
gel
components would take place during display in a store and the use of the head
cap after
the razor is removed from its bubble pack then minimize evaporation losses
thereafter.
